June 27 - Team Kern Wheelmen wins

From Oceanside, CA to Annapolis, MD, RAAM is widely recognized as the world’s toughest endurance bicycle race – 3,000 miles coast-to-coast across the USA.

This was the 13th finish for Petersen who called this, “The best crew so far and the best team because of the emotional and spiritual connection that this group has.”

Petersen went on to describe how this RAAM effort came about. “I’ve been doing RAAM since 1994 and things have definately evolved. There are some friends, some of them who started out as Spinning students of mine who have become cyclists. There is also some family. David races for a team that I’m a poster child for in Southern California.

“I’ve been shooting for a 50+ team ever since I turned 50 and I think maybe I waited too long. Now we’re at 57, 57, 60.

“Everyone is a volunteer on the crew. They’re all amazing and awesome and very special people to give up so much of their time, their vacation, their energy to help get some guys crazy enough to jump on bicycles and ride across the country.”

Cory Lockwwod pictured above and a columnist for The Loop will have more on this story in an upcoming issue.